MACHINE AND METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING PREDETERMINED NUMBERS OF ITEMS

1459573 Filling containers; endless conveyers SOLBERN CORP 10 Dec 1974 [10 Dec 1973] 53410/74 Headings B8C and B8A A method of filling a plurality of containers with items of uniform size comprises filling the pocket or pockets 25 of each of a line of intermediate receptacles 10 with the items, conveying the receptacles to a discharge station where the items from a set number of pockets drop into each container. The receptacles have holes 21 to permit them to be mounted on pins (22, 23) on conveyer links 15. One pin (23) carries a detent ball (31) which can be released by a plunger 33 to permit replacement of a receptacle. The receptacles may have various shapes (Fig. 5 (a-d) not shown), each receptacle having one or more pockets to receive one or more items. Extension tubes may be fitted in the pockets. The receptacles pass through a rotary drum 11 having shelves which lift the items up to the top of a chute which directs them over the receptacles which may be shaken or tilted to remove surplus items. At the discharge station the receptacles pass from a dead platen 35 over which they had been sliding, allowing the items to fall into the containers moving synchronously below.